But we are better off than Germany and Spain, which only have enough of their own supplies to last about five months a year.

Such is the demand for fresh fish that 72 per cent of Europe’s waters are overfished, according to a study by independent think-tank the New Economics Foundation (Nef).

Each British citizen consumes an average of 20.5kg (45lb) of fish a year, similar to the EU average.

But this is well above global fish consumption of 16.3kg (36lb) a year.

British fish supplies are boosted by catches from other countries and further out to sea but experts say some stocks will not recover under existing EU rules. The Common Fisheries Policy is due to be reformed this year.

‘We’ve cashed in the chips on our fish supplies but we now have a big chance to restore fish stocks at the British level and beyond,’ said Aniol Esteban from Nef.

Nef is urging the government and EU to protect stocks by rewarding fishermen who don’t overfish and create no-fishing zones at sea.